The series' location was partly inspired by the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, where Chibnall lived.Chibnall says that he initially did not have a location in mind for the series.But work-related issues made setting the show in Dorset appealing. From 2006 to 2011, Chibnall had spent most of his time traveling about the UK and Ireland, working on Torchwood, Law & Order: UK,Broadchurch Seasons 1-2 DVD and Camelot. Setting the show in Dorset meant Chibnall would not have to spend time away from his home and family. Chibnall's decision to set the show on the Jurassic Coast also helped him generate more ideas for the show and tighten the writing.For example, Dorset's most famous native son, poet and author Thomas Hardy, lent his last name to one of the main characters. Hardy's use of the term "Wessex" was used to name the fictional Wessex Police,and character Jack Marshall reads the Hardy novel Jude the Obscure.